RF Link Budget Calculator

Complete wireless link analysis with fade margin calculation.

Transmitter

Path

Rain fade, foliage, etc.

Receiver

Minimum signal level for reliable reception

Fade Margin Guidelines

Fade Margin Reliability Application
< 10 dBPoorNot recommended
10-15 dBFairClear LOS, dry climate
15-20 dBGoodMost applications
20-30 dBExcellentCritical links
> 30 dBOver-engineeredExtreme conditions

Link Budget Formula

Received Power (dBm) = TX Power + TX Antenna Gain - TX Cable Loss - Path Loss + RX Antenna Gain - RX Cable Loss
Fade Margin (dB) = Received Power - Receiver Sensitivity

A positive fade margin indicates a working link. The higher the margin, the more resilient the link is to fading, interference, and environmental changes.